diff --git a/examples/cwebp.c b/examples/cwebp.c
index 09c788de..53f6302e 100644
--- a/examples/cwebp.c
+++ b/examples/cwebp.c
@@ -650,7 +650,8 @@ static int DumpPicture(const WebPPicture* const picture, const char* PGM_name) {
   const int uv_width = (picture->width + 1) / 2;
   const int uv_height = (picture->height + 1) / 2;
   const int stride = (picture->width + 1) & ~1;
-  const int alpha_height = picture->a ? picture->height : 0;
+  const int alpha_height =
+      WebPPictureHasTransparency(picture) ? picture->height : 0;
   const int height = picture->height + uv_height + alpha_height;
   FILE* const f = fopen(PGM_name, "wb");
   if (f == NULL) return 0;
@@ -1035,7 +1036,11 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[]) {
 
   // Write info
   if (dump_file) {
-    DumpPicture(&picture, dump_file);
+    if (picture.use_argb_input) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Warning: can't dump file (-d option) in lossless mode.");
+    } else if (!DumpPicture(&picture, dump_file)) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Warning, couldn't dump picture %s\n", dump_file);
+    }
   }
 
   if (!quiet) {
diff --git a/src/enc/alpha.c b/src/enc/alpha.c
index ce5f3e8f..b7e4ce16 100644
--- a/src/enc/alpha.c
+++ b/src/enc/alpha.c
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ static int EncodeAlpha(const uint8_t* data, int width, int height, int stride,
 // Main calls
 
 void VP8EncInitAlpha(VP8Encoder* enc) {
-  enc->has_alpha_ = (enc->pic_->a != NULL);
+  enc->has_alpha_ = WebPPictureHasTransparency(enc->pic_);
   enc->alpha_data_ = NULL;
   enc->alpha_data_size_ = 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/enc/picture.c b/src/enc/picture.c
index 34d2758c..b177eef0 100644
--- a/src/enc/picture.c
+++ b/src/enc/picture.c
@@ -669,6 +669,33 @@ void WebPCleanupTransparentArea(WebPPicture* const pic) {
 #undef SIZE
 #undef SIZE2
 
+// Checking for the presence of non-opaque alpha.
+int WebPPictureHasTransparency(const WebPPicture* const pic) {
+  if (pic == NULL) return 0;
+  if (!pic->use_argb_input) {
+    int x, y;
+    const uint8_t* alpha = pic->a;
+    if (alpha == NULL) return 0;
+    for (y = 0; y < pic->height; ++y) {
+      for (x = 0; x < pic->width; ++x) {
+        if (alpha[x] != 0xff) return 1;
+      }
+      alpha += pic->a_stride;
+    }
+  } else {
+    int x, y;
+    const uint32_t* argb = pic->argb;
+    if (argb == NULL) return 1;
+    for (y = 0; y < pic->height; ++y) {
+      for (x = 0; x < pic->width; ++x) {
+        if (argb[x] < 0xff000000) return 1;   // test any alpha values != 0xff
+      }
+      argb += pic->argb_stride;
+    }
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Distortion
 
diff --git a/src/enc/vp8l.c b/src/enc/vp8l.c
index f8297a6d..ee113273 100644
--- a/src/enc/vp8l.c
+++ b/src/enc/vp8l.c
@@ -42,15 +42,6 @@ static int CompareColors(const void* p1, const void* p2) {
   return (a < b) ? -1 : (a > b) ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
-static int HasRealAlpha(const uint32_t* const argb, int num_pix) {
-  int i;
-  for (i = 0; i < num_pix; ++i) {
-    // Checking for the presence of non-opaque alpha.
-    if (argb[i] < ARGB_BLACK) return 1;
-  }
-  return 0;
-}
-
 // If number of colors in the image is less than or equal to MAX_PALETTE_SIZE,
 // creates a palette and returns true, else returns false.
 static int AnalyzeAndCreatePalette(const uint32_t* const argb, int num_pix,
@@ -983,7 +974,7 @@ int VP8LEncodeImage(const WebPConfig* const config,
     goto Error;
   }
 
-  has_alpha = HasRealAlpha(picture->argb, width * height);
+  has_alpha = WebPPictureHasTransparency(picture);
   // Write the non-trivial Alpha flag and lossless version.
   if (!WriteRealAlphaAndVersion(&bw, has_alpha)) {
     err = VP8_ENC_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
diff --git a/src/webp/encode.h b/src/webp/encode.h
index 28a1d6bf..3b00bdc2 100644
--- a/src/webp/encode.h
+++ b/src/webp/encode.h
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ WEBP_EXTERN(int) WebPPictureImportBGRA(
 // area, to help compressibility (no guarantee, though).
 WEBP_EXTERN(void) WebPCleanupTransparentArea(WebPPicture* const picture);
 
+// Scan the picture 'pic' for the presence of non fully opaque alpha values.
+// Returns true in such case. Otherwise returns false (indicating that the
+// alpha plane can be ignored altogether e.g.).
+WEBP_EXTERN(int) WebPPictureHasTransparency(const WebPPicture* const pic);
+
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Main call